This essay in economic geography describes what intra-firm trade as a concept is and different ways to determine in which cases trade is to be labeled as intra-firm trade (IFT) or not. The method used by the author is most easily described as descriptive. This method was chosen in order to test if existing theories; classic and neoclassic economics, new trade theory and international business studies, are capable to explain the phenomena of IFT. The theories are tested trough primary and secondary literature but also trough reasoning by the author.The conclusion is that the most reasonable way to determine whether trade occurs intra-firm or not, is to decide upon a 5-% rule where it when one part owns 5-% of the voting strength in the other company is to be considered intra-firm trade. This is a conclusion based on several reasons; the strongest one being that a common view on IFT could boost comparative studies as the U.S already collects data based on the 5-% rule.Classic and neoclassic economics are incapable of explaining IFT as aprerequisite for these theories is that markets are perfect.

A dilemma often met by entrepreneurs is whether or not to share information about their business ideas in order to increase the probability for success. The reason for sharing information is presumed to be an increased ability to develop the business idea, whereas the reason for maintaining secrecy would be to protect the idea from being stolen. Common as this dilemma is in practice, it is not very well covered in the entrepreneurial theories. The purpose of this thesis is to elaborate the theories in this subject by investigating an entrepreneurial case. The case shows that one possible solution to the dilemma is a situation-based information sharing.

Title: Establishing in China?s ?good-enough? market - A benchmarking study on Scandinavian engineering industries? further establishment in China. Problem discussion: The Chinese market is gaining importance for Scandinavian engineering industries and is by many considered a crucial market to be successful in. These companies have a tradition of producing premium products for premium customers. However, in China many are currently experiencing the threat from local competitors producing products of somewhat less quality aimed at the vast Chinese middle market - the good-enough market.

Denna studie syftar till att få en ökad förståelse för vad som kännetecknar affärsutvecklingen hos snabbt växande företag. Författarna närmar sig problemet genom att de använder Starbucks som fallstudie och analyserar företaget med hjälp av fyra olika teorier. Starbucks har under en kort tid vuxit relativt snabbt och företaget finns idag etablerad i 34 länder. De teorier som behandlas i uppsatsen bearbetar ämnet affärsutveckling. Varje teori fokuserar på olika aspekter av vad som kan leda till att ett företag växer och expanderar.

Det traditionella styrmedlet, budgeten, har under de senaste åren blivit starkt ifrågasatt. Den största anledningen till detta är att företag har svårt att konkretisera sina långsiktiga mål via budgeten. Företaget som författarna kommit i kontakt med fokuserar starkt på tre finansiella mål, och risken finns då att de förbiser de icke finansiella måtten, som är lika viktiga för att bibehålla de goda resultat de haft de senaste åren..

The term ?good marketing practice? in the 4 § 1 section Swedish marketing law (Marknadsföringslagen 1995:450) has a wide meaning. Besides 5-13 d §§ and 17 §, the term also covers other non legal rules. The essay intends to define the legal meaning of the term as well as examine how it is experienced of laymen in the area. According to 1 § Swedish Marketing law aims to protect business men and consumers from unjustified marketing.

The SMEs’ internationalization strategy—Foreign Market Entry Modes selection Title: 1st of June 2006 Date of the Seminar: Bus 809. Master thesis in international marketing Course: Han xiao Author: Ulf Elg, Associate professor, Lund University, Sweden Advisors: Ying Bin, Associate professor, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, China. Guest researcher, Lund University, Sweden Internationalization, entry mode, SMEs, foreign market Keywords: The purpose of this study is to understand the internationalization process of the SMEs, and try to define the motives and internal factors impact their foreign market entry mode selection. Thesis purpose: This thesis is based on qualitative method using case study. The primary information sources are the interviews with key-persons in internationalization process of SMEs Methodology: The literature review in this study concerns areas of SMEs’ motives for internationalization, foreign market entry mode approaches and influence of internal & external factors.

Title: The way to successLevel: Final assignment for a Master?s Degree in Business AdministrationAuthors: Larisa Glazkova and Veronika LarssonSupervisor: Jonas KågströmDate: 2011 ? JanuaryAim: Many companies are started each year, but only some of them are successful and generate worthwhile profits. Many new companies do not survive the first few years. The purpose of this thesis is to identify factors that can lead to success for small and medium-sized enterprises in Gästrikland.Method: We analysed 559 interview surveys that were collected during the years 2004-2010 and success factors were defined. Additionally, financial reports from the database Retriever were analysed.

Syftet med den här undersökningen är att studera, och identifiera tillvägagångssätt för tjänsteföretag att internationalisera sig samt sälja sina produkter. För att göra det, samt att kunna kartlägga ett eventuellt mönster är det väsentligt att öka förståelsen kring hur försäljningen av tjänsten går till samt hur säljaren hanterar de kulturella skillnader som uppstår vid internationalisering. Vi har valt en kvalitativ metod, med en deduktiv ansats för undersökningen där utgångspunkt finns i teori. Den teoretiska referensramen inkluderar välkända modeller som beskriver företags processer vid en internationalisering, samt teorier riktade mot tjänsteföretag, internationell försäljning, säljarens roll samt kultur och kommunikation. Därefter har vi i det empiriska materialet, redogjort för vad de fallföretag vi har arbetat med, i praktiken har hanterat dessa fenomen i deras internationaliseringsprocesser. I analysen har vi sedan ställt empirin mot teorin för att identifiera ett mönster rörande internationalisering samt internationell försäljning av tjänsteföretag. I slutsatsen har vi till sist haft möjlighet att presentera detta mönster för internationalisering av tjänsteföretag, där vi har konstaterat att processen är baserad på drivna individer på ledningsnivå som initierar internationaliseringen.

The initial aim of the roll out of smart electricity meters in Sweden was to allow remote readings of the households? monthly electricity consumption for billing purposes. Since then the transition towards a smart grid has become a more prioritized matter. In the roll out of next generation smart meters more attention is therefore given to how the Distribution System Operator (DSO) can benefit from the meter through different smart grid applications. This study uses a qualitative research method to identify three general fields of application and 15 specific concepts corresponding to ways in which the DSO can create added value from the information provided by the smart meter.

Local cultural environment planning in Sweden often comes to rely on municipal heritage plans. These plans are meant to facilitate management of local cultural values, work as a tool for local planning and increase awareness of cultural environments for the public. In the last decades public participation in planning has become more and more of the ideal strategy, challenging the idea of cultural environment planning as an expert-led field. The idea of the field as one that implicates public participation as a strategy has been fortified in Sweden through national goals, government bills and conventions. Nevertheless the implementation of public participation in municipal heritage plans remains quite uncharted. The aim of this study is to explore public participation in regards to how municipal heritage plans are developed and the perception of public participation in cultural environment planning amongst professionals, comparing bigger and smaller municipalities.

Near Field Communication, NFC, is a short-range wireless communication technology that enables data exchange between devices in a secure way. A NFC phone has the potential to enable the convergence of wallet, phone and keys, but as many other technological innovations, the launch is struggling. We have discovered that technological innovation is only the first step. For an innovation to be adapted, there need to be business model innovation too. Many actors form the ecosystem of NFC and the business model for each service is still an unsolved problem.

The demand from Swedish companies of new potential markets to enter is increasing. One of these companies is Väderstad-verken which has the vision to grow approximately 15 percentages every year. To make this possible they must find new emerging markets to enter to be able to grow. Together with Väderstad-verken we have chosen India as a case study. Mainly because of its big agricultural sector that hasn?t yet been developed to modern standard.

Problem: Den svenska bankmarknaden befinner sig under förändring. Och i takt med att världen med hjälp av tekniska innovationer blir mindre, blir det också lättare för globala storföretag att etablera sig på nya marknader. Konkurrensen tenderar att öka bland Sveriges banker och det kan leda till att det blir enklare för bankkunder att välja en annan bank. Nu är det upp till bankerna själva att erbjuda tjänster och produkter som motsvarar kundernas krav. Syfte: Uppsatsen ska undersöka attityder samt belysa vikten av relationer och förtroende till personliga rådgivare i banker.

This thesis investigates and analyses the social media strategy of eight companies. How the companies measure and evaluate their activity and investments in social media channels in general, and Facebook in particular is studied through qualitative interviews. The findings are then compared and analysed. Findings indicate that companies' social media presences to a large extent are dependent on individual employees with high levels of interest for the area and that companies that have integrated social media into their others operations see more value from their efforts..